ASSEMBLED BACULOVIRUS-EXPRESSED HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS TYPE-11 L1 CAPSID PROTEIN VIRUS-LIKE PARTICLES ARE RECOGNIZED BY NEUTRALIZING MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES AND INDUCE HIGH TITERS OF NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODIES

Baculovirus-expressed human papillomavirus type 11 (HPV-11) major caps id protein (L1) virus-like particles (VLPs) were produced in insect ce lls and purified on CsCl density gradients. The VLPs retained conforma tional neutralizing epitopes that were detected by a series of HPV-11- neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. Electron microscopy determined tha t the HPV-11 L1 VLPs were variable in size with a surface topography s imilar to that of infectious HPV-11. The VLPs were very antigenic, and induced high titres of neutralizing antibodies in rabbits and mice wh en used as an immunogen without commercial preparations of adjuvant. T hese VLP reagents may be effective vaccines for protection against HPV infections.